Coin-counter.



P. G. JAGOBSON.

COIN COUNTER. APPLIGATION FILED APR. 24, 1912. EL L c Patend Nov. 24, 1914.

i ISHEBTS-SHEET l.

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P. G. JACoBsoN.

GOIN COUNTER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 24, 1912,

1,1 18,65 1. Patented Nov. 24, 1914,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

P. G. .TACGBSON COIN COUNTER. VAPPLICATION FILED APILM, 1912.

1 1 1 8,65 Patented Nov. 24., 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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P. G. JACOBSON.

COIN COUNTER.

APPLICATION PILEU APR. 24, 1912.

1,118,651, Patented Nov. 2A, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ll l .'lllllllllll'lulllllll lllllI' PETER Gr. JACOBSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COIN-COUNTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application filed April 24, 1912. Serial No. 692,919.

T all @0710mtt may concern:

purpose of my invention, arbitrarily devised tokens of value.

My invention inds a very useful embodiment in connection with registering fare boxes, though it is not to be limited to such an application.

The invention has for one of its objects the provision of improved means whereby coins may be engaged by coin retainers (these coin retainers being individual to and adapted toselect coins'of diiierent values when the a paratus is designed to count coins vof di erent values though I do not limit myself to the counting of coins of diiierentv values) and be presented by the coin retainers to coin counting mechanism. This featureof lmy invention is realized by the provision of a hollow rotatably mounted drum whoseinterior receives the coins where .they are engaged by the coin retainers which varepreferably mounted to move with the drum, the drum being preferably mounted to rotate in a plane transverse to the hor-i- Zontal so that the coins fall to the bottom of the drum where the coin retainers are adapted to catch up the coins, these coin retainers being desirably provided upon the cylindrical wall portion of the drum so as to pass under the coins as the drum turns.

In this way the coin retainers are bound to j engage the coin and carry the same with the drum and when the coin retainers areindividual to coins of dilerent values the coms are selectively engaged and are carried upwardly to mechanism that is adapted to register their value.

My invention has for another object the provision of improved means for counting or registering the values of coins.

There are other features and characteristics of the invention which will be understood from a description of the preferred embodiment thereof shown in connection with the drawings that illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention when embraced within a registering fare boX.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away, of a fare box constructed in-accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a lsectional viewpgenerally taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a sectional view generally taken on lines 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view generally taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a part of the structure; Fig. 6 is a View in sectional elevation of the mechanism portion shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the mechanism portion shown in- Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional View on line 8 8 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a view of a portion of the mechanism which is shown in Fig. 3 but on a larger scale than shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 10 is a view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2but on a larger scale than the illustration of F ig. 2.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures. The fare is deposited in the form of a sinn gle coin that is a measure o the fare or a l plurality of coins of minor value that in the aggregate equal the fare,the coin passing through the mouth 1 of the coin chute into a receptacle 2 having transparent wall portions so that the fare may be seen by the conductor. The floor of the receptacle is provided with a trap door 3 upon which thedeposited coins lodge within view. If coin of suflicient value has been deposited by the passenger in the receptacle 2 the conductor will depress the lever 4 that is in fixed relation with the trap door so as to lower the trap door to effect the discharge of the coin therefrom. In Fig. 2 the depressed position or the trap door 3 is indicated by dotted lines. Suitable means are employed for restoring the trap door after its depression. The coins which are discharged from the trap door iind downward passage through a vertical chute 5 into the interior of a hollow cylindrical drum 6 having short axial length.

Coins passing through the vertical chute ii.'

5 are, after being counted by the mechanism which is to be described7 discharged from the cylinder 6 into the coin receptar'f' pra vided with a closure 8 affording to the coin receptacle. tiro The drum 't stationary wall portions 9 and l0, the wall portion 9 having an opening therein that registers with the lower terminal opening of the chute 5 for the purpose of admitting coin to the drum interior. Both stationary wall portions 9 and 10 are held stationary by means of brackets 11 (Figs. 1 and 4). The wall portions 9 and 10 are of disk formation whose peripheral edges are formed as indicated clearly in Figs. 2 and .10 to constitute bearings for the annular wall portions 12 which are joined by the annular wall portion 13. One of the annular wall portions 12 of the drum has its eXterior periphery formed with gear teeth 14 that are in mesh with a pinion l5 in mesh with another pinion 16, which latter pinion vmay be rotated by the conductor, the pinion 16 being provided with a handle 17 for the purpose. The handle 17 is provided with a clutch 18 whereby it may be turned in one direction only. The rotatable portions 12 and 13 of the drum are further supported by an annular framework 19 surrounding and affording a direct bearing support for the drum portion 13. One of the plates of the framework 19 intervenes between the toothed portion 14 and the cam element 20 (whose function is to be described) surrounding and turning with the drum portion 13. The coins are received by the portion of the drum that happens to be lowermost and are caught, by devices to be described, so that they may be carried to a position overlying the coin discharge chute 21 from which the coins are discharged into` the coin receiving receptacle. at 7, the coin ejecting finger 22 moving inwardly for the purpose of dislodging the coin when it overlies the chute 21, there being a coin ejecting finger 22 in association with each device that retains coin while being carried'upwardly.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, coin retainers 23 that are individual to coins of differing values are distributed Vthroughout the interior of the drum portion 13 at suitable intervals, there being as many coin retainers 23 as there are coin ef differing values to the counting of which the machine is adapted. In the embodiment of the invention shown I have illustrated but three coin retainers, butit is understood that in practice the number may be varied to suit requirements. The coin retainers 23 are provided with fiat faces that are directed toward the axis of the drinn and against which the coins are held as they are broughtto their positions' above the chute 21. Each coin `retainer is provided with insetting coin engaging lugs 24 disposed parallel with the plane of the drum, the lugs 24 of the dii"- ferent coin retainers being spaced varying distances apart so that the lugs 24 of each coin retainer will engage and hold but one coin, a. coin 25 being shown as being held by a pair of lugs 24 in Figs. 7 and 8. The faces of the coins when held by their retainers are substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of the drum whereby the location of the coins within suitable retainers as the'drum is rotated is assured. That is, the coin retainers and the coins they hold are transversely disposed with respect to the plane of movement of the coin retainers. Coins of smaller diameter than the space between the lugs 24 will pass between these spaces and coins of lar er diameter' areprevented from coming wi hin the planes of the lugs 24 by the diverging wings 26 that arepseparated by a space smaller than the diameter of the coins/#which are not to be permitted to be engaged by the lugs 24. Thus the lugs 24 of one coin retainer are permitted to hold pennies only, lugs 24 of another .coin retainer are permitted to hold five cent pieces only, the lugs 24 of another coin retainer` are permitted to hold ten cent pieces only, etc. The drum rotates in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 3, 4 and 9. The coin ejecting fingers are mounted upon' the exterior ofthe drum as indicated in Figs. 3, 5 and 6 and are adaptedto have their free ends projected through the drum portion 13 where the coins are held by the lugs 24 when the drum has been rotated far enough to permit the fingers to be depressed by a stationary shoe 261. "When the lingers are thus engaged by the shoe 261 the coins are dislodged from the lugs 24 that hold them and are passed by the chute 21 into the ultimate coin receptacle beneath the closure 8. The fingers 22 are of spring formation and return to their outer positions, when free of the depresser 261, as a consequence of their own resilience.

I will now describe the mechanism by which the coins are counted. The blade 27 is iXedly mounted upon a shaft 28 at its inner end, this shaft being operated upon by a spring 29 to hold the blade 27 that it carries within the path of the traveling coin, the blade being of such a length that it is not engaged as the drum rotates except by the coin when held between the lugs 24 (Fig. 9). )Vhen thus engaged by coin the shaft 28 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction against the force of the spring 29, similarly turning a plate 30 having a deflected slot 31 at its upper portion. This deiieeted slot receives a pin 32 carried upon and inwardly projecting from' an elbow of a bent arm 33 swingingly mounted at one end and loosely engaging one end of a clutch shifting lever 34 at its other end (Figs. 4 and 10). When the shaft is thus turned in a counter-clockwiseV direction the pin 32V is brought from the left hand end of the slot 31 (Fig. 4) beyond the bendin said slot a distance corresponding to the thickness of the coin that then intervenes between the free end of the blade 27 and the coin retainer 23. The bent arm 33 is thus caused to rise and in is rotated in a f the portion 44 to act in event of the failure rising moves the clutch lever 34 upwardly whereby this clutch lever is caused to vshift the clutch member 35 longitudinally'of the counting train shaft 36 upon which said clutch is splined. The clutch member 37, complemental to the clutch member 35,/1s loose upon the shaft 36 but is caused to rotate with said shaft when the clutch member 35 has been shifted as stated whereby the counting motion which is imparted to the clutch member 37 by the mechanism to be described is communicated to the counting train 3S that operates any suitable form of counting or indicating mechanism such as that of an ordinary cyclometer. The clutch member 37, being formed to constitute a counting gear element, is in mesh with a segmental gear 39 that carries a. pin 4U received within the cam groove 4l of the cam 20. The cam groove 41 has portions 42 that are individual to the coin retainers and which project outwardly to differing extents (when differing coin values are to be counted) whereby the pin is caused to move outwardly to corresponding extents so that the segmental cam 39 is swung through differing arcs that correspond to the valzes of the different coins whereby the value wheel 37 is correspondingly turned to cause the corresponding ultimate operation of the visual portion of the counter.

It will be understood from the mechanism which has been described that, as the invention is embodied, the segmental gear 39 operateseach time the pin 40 is engaged by a cam portion 42 but that such operation is not effective unless the blade 27 has been operated upon by a coin 25 for the purpose of bringing the clutch member 35 into enga gement with the clutch member 37 When thc coin that is being counted has escaped the blade 27, the spring 29 will turn the shaft 2S in a clockwise direction to restore the pin 32 to the left end of the slot 31 thereby to shift the. clutch lever 34 to withdraw the clutch member 35 from the clutch member 37. A fixed pivot 43 constitutes the bearing for a dog having one portion 44 engaging with the front of the clutch member 35 and another portion 45 for engaging between the teeth of the clutch member 35 that face the clutch teeth of the clutch member 37. When the clutch member 35,is moved toward the clutch member 37 the dog structure 44`45 clockwise direction against the force of a spring 46 to permit the engagement of the clutch members 35 and 37 )Yhen the clutch member 35 is restored to its idle position the front end thereof engages cooperation with the spring 46 to engage the portion 45 with the teeth of the clutch member 35 whereby the shaft 36 is locked during the periods of disengagement of the clutch members. In the of the spring 29 to restore the shaft 28 to its normal position such result is assured by a lever 47 that has a stationary pivotal axis between its ends, the left end of this lever (Fig. 4) being engageable by pins 48 (one pin 48 being associated with each coin retainer) for the purpose of thrusting the right end of the lever 47 against the plate 30 to insure the location of the pin 32 in the left end of the slot 31.

To insure the engagement of the clutch members 35 and 37 the proper length of time, the clutch shifting lever 34 is provided with a third branch 49 and the coin retainers, or some of them, are provided with fins or lugs 5() of lengths (measured peripherally of the drum) that correspond to the coin retainers and the values of the coins thereby to be held, these fins or lugs 50 ybeing mounted upon the exterior of the drum portion 13. lVhen the clutch members have been brought into engagement, the clutch lever branch 49 is located to the right of the corresponding lug or fin 50 (Fig. 10) and is prevented from returning until such lug or fin has been moved clear of the clutch lever branch 49 whereby the clutch members 35 and 36 are, with certainty, maintained in engagement during the entire time the pin 40 is moving outwardly in the cam slot portion 42 that is engaging the same, during which outward movement of thepin 40 the operation of the counter is taking place.

Any suitable form of visual mechanism may be employed. I have shown the location of the Visible portion of the counting mechanism at 51 (Fig. 3), thecasing having an aperture 52 through which the readings may be taken.

A blade 53 is provided for engaging the coins to hold them in their retainers during at least part of the time that the coins are engaged by the blade 27 to insure the retention of the coins in their retainers while they operate upon the blade 27, this construction being provided to guard against jarring or vibration. The blade 53 is mounted upon a shaft 54 that has turning effort exerted thereupon in a clock-wise direction by a spring (Fig. 4).

IVhile I have shown my invention as being embodied in a registering fare box, it is obvious that the invention has for its purpose the, counting of coins or tokens and I therefore do not limit my invention to its embodiment in a registering fare box. As the invention is embodied the drum constitutes a temporary receptacle for the coin and also a carrier for the coin retainers whereby the coin retainers are moved in a plane transverse with respect to the vhorizontal and function,

of these while the drum thus has a double I do not wish to functions.

While I have herein shown and specifically described one embodiment of my inbe limited to both tion for rendering the counting mechanismoperative and inoperative; a coi'nretainer; cam mechanism for moving the'segmental gear, the cam mechanism and' coin lretainer being together operable when the coin is being moved to be counted; and mechanism for engaging said clutch members and operated by the coin within the retainer.

2. A coin counter including counting .mechanism containing a segmental gear, a pinion in mesh therewith, and two clutch members.in engageable and separable relation for rendering the counting mechanism operative and inoperative; a com retainer;

cam mechanism for moving the` segmental gear, the cam mechanlsm and coin retainer being ing moved to be counted; mechanism for engaging said clutch members and operated by together operable when the coin is be' the coin within the retainer; and' means op erating independently of the coin formaintaining the clutch members in engagement when the coin counting mechanism is being operated to count the coin.

3. A coin carrier including a rotatable drum and coin holding portions carried thereby each for holding a coin diii'ering in size from the coins to be held by the others,

each of said coin holding portions being proi vided with relatively diverging wings separated by a space smaller than the diameter of the coins which are not to be held by the corresponding coin holder and which space permits the passage of coins to be held by the coin holder to such coin holder.

4. A coin carrier including a rotatable drum and coin holding portions carried upon the interior face of the cylindrical wall portion of the drum and each including insettin lugs, ers eing spaced varying distances apart to enable each coin holder to hold coin o differing value from that held by the other coin holders.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 22nd day of April, A. D. 1912.

PETER G. J ACOBSON.

Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, E. L. WHITE.

the lugs of the different coin hold- 

